State Briefs: 12/27/07

Wednesday

SPRINGFIELD – When Jack Waters retires as clerk of the U.S. District Court in Illinois' Central District in early January, he'll have the longest tenure of any court clerk since 1855.

And by almost anyone's measure, he's overseen more change in the office than any of his predecessors.

An Edinburg native, Waters graduated from the University of Illinois with degree in psychology in 1969. He worked at Horace Mann Educators for a year before applying for a job with the U.S. Probation Office and was hired in 1971 as a federal probation officer.

He was the third probation officer in what was then the Southern District of Illinois. There are now 25 to 30 probation officers in the 46-county Central District. Waters spent 13 years as a probation officer and supervising probation officer. In 1984, he was appointed clerk of the U.S. Central District Court.

The 1980s aren't exactly the Stone Age, but the job didn't look much like it does now, he said.

"The biggest change is what automation has done for the clerk's office," he said.

When he started, all the records were on paper and all the docket entries were done with a typewriter.

"Soon after I started, (U.S. Judge Harold Baker) in Danville started using word processors with memory to manage the court's caseload," Waters said.

"We were one of the first districts in the country to have some sort of automation."

In the late 1980s, federal courts around the country began developing a national system of automation and three years ago went to electronic case management.

"We'll never be completely paperless, but we are close to being a paperless court," he said.

Grandstand roof damaged by winds

SPRINGFIELD – Gusty weekend winds peeled back a 30-foot section of the metal grandstand roof at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and state officials are seeking an estimate for repairs.

Part of Grandstand Avenue in front of the structure has been closed off as a precaution, even though no debris fell onto the street, said spokesman Chris McCloud, who fielded calls for the Illinois Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.
The damaged area of the roof is just northwest of the main grandstand entrance. McCloud said workers are making sure none of the roofing is loose and that nothing poses a danger to the public.

The roofing is "just kind of peeled back and tangled up there," he said.

"Right now, because of the season, it's not like we're in danger of missing any events or anything like that, but it will be repaired in time for the upcoming event season," McCloud said.

The Springfield area experienced strong wind gusts Saturday and Sunday, some of which reached upwards of 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

In Menard and Logan counties, utility poles snapped in half, garage doors buckled and shingles were torn off roofs. Part of a building was blown onto a road early Sunday in Mount Pulaski, a barn was blown into the road southeast of Greenview, and a garage door was blown in near Athens, according to damage reports submitted to the weather service.

Woman's condition still critical after deadly fire

PEORIA – A Bartonville woman remained in critical condition Tuesday after the single-story home she lived in with her husband burned on Monday.

Shirley Byard, 87, is in critical condition at OSF St. Francis Medical Center after the deadly fire ravaged the home at 107 Fairoaks Court. The blaze claimed the life of Byard's husband, Laverne George, also 87.

Laverne Byard was pronounced dead Monday in the emergency room at St. Francis less than one hour after Shirley alerted authorities.

Laverne Byard's body showed obvious signs of smoke inhalation and burns, according to Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The quick-moving blaze struck around 3:30 p.m. somewhere in the rear portion of the house. Bartonville firefighters on Monday were unsure what caused it. No one with the department could be reached Tuesday.

Audrey Reed, who has lived at 1601 W. Westaire Ave. with her husband Jerry for 22 years, walked into her backyard after hearing a noise and saw smoke billowing out from an exhaust fan on the roof.

About 12 people - all family members celebrating Christmas - evacuated the single-story house at 5:38 p.m. and moved the vehicles parked in the driveway and on the street before firefighters arrived. No one was injured, and no vehicles were reportedly damaged.

Peoria firefighters arrived to the house to battle a blaze that was contained in the living room attic. Fire Captain Mike Morgan said 20 or so firefighters and investigators were on the scene, closed off portions of the street for more than an hour and had the small fire knocked out in 15 minutes.

Morgan estimated about $75,000 in damages to the house. He said a most of the damage occurred in the living room area. The fire is believed to have been caused from faulty wiring.

Despite having Christmas unexpectedly interrupted, the Reeds and their two children, ages 20 and 17, were going to continue celebrating the holiday later in the night with family members who are staying at a hotel near Downtown.

Firefighters allowed the family inside to retrieve presents that were salvaged.

Even as firefighters were hauling a water-damaged sofa to the garage, the Reeds seemed to be in the holiday spirit.

"I saved Christmas," Jerry Reed jokingly said as he hauled a case of Busch beer from his garage.

Fire causes $214,000 damage, sends six to hospital

PEORIA – Six people, including an 11-month-old infant, were taken to a local hospital after a fire swept through their two-story South Peoria home early Monday.

Firefighters reported the blaze, called in about 1:05 a.m. at the home of Elbert Edwards, 821 W. Spring Hollow Lane, had engulfed the entire first-floor prior to their arrival.

Five people - a mother, her 9-year-old daughter, and three others - had escaped and were waiting outside for firefighters. The infant, however, was trapped in her crib in a second-floor bedroom.

The infant's mother suffered severe burns to her body when she re-entered the home several times in an attempt to get the baby. The mother, whose name has not been released, was flown to the burn unit at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield for treatment. Her condition was not available.

The growing blaze, which had spread to the second floor and roof, hindered firefighters attempts to rescue the baby. They tried to gain access to a second-floor window by a ladder, but were overcome by fire.

Meanwhile, another group of firefighters soaked the front of the house with water, knocking down enough flames to allow a second rescue attempt. The infant was soon located and given to paramedics.

The baby, whose name also has not been released, suffered burns to her head and neck, was pulseless when brought out of the house, a fire official said.

Paramedics worked on her enroute to the hospital and were able to revive her before their arrival to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Her condition also is unable.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The house is a total loss, with damage estimated at $214,000.

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